No one outside the core circle knew that, on this very day, a milestone worthy of being engraved into history had quietly unfolded within a nuclear power plant deep in the southwest.
After the final round of inspections was completed, all engineers working near the reactor were escorted out in an orderly fashion by security personnel. One by one, safety checkpoints were confirmed, until the entire reactor area was completely cleared.
Only then did the ignition sequence formally begin.
"Superconducting magnet inspection complete. Beginning liquid helium injection."
"Liquid helium injection complete. Ignition system charging."
Each line of data appeared steadily on the control screens, calm and precise. The control room was silent—so quiet that even breathing seemed too loud.
At last, the final step arrived.
As long as the ignition button was pressed, humanity's first fully controllable nuclear fusion reactor would truly come alive.
The project leader drew a deep breath and slowly raised his right hand.
For most of his life, controllable nuclear fusion had been nothing more than a distant dream, a concept discussed endlessly but never realized. He had once believed that even if the technology succeeded, it would happen long after he was gone.
Yet here he stood.
The doorway to a new era lay beneath his palm.
His Adam's apple bobbed slightly as his gaze fixed on the indicator panel. With his back to the gathered researchers, he spoke in a low but steady voice.
"It is an honor to witness this moment together with all of you. Every necessary preparation has been completed. Whether this succeeds or fails… history will remember today."
With that, he pressed the button.
Inside the dark reaction chamber, a blinding light bloomed.
Like the birth of a miniature sun, the glow surged outward, and terrifyingly intense energy erupted from the reactor's core. Temperatures soared in an instant, yet the raging power was bound firmly at the center by invisible magnetic forces, flowing in silence rather than chaos.
An endless tide of energy poured forth from the fusion core—vast, stable, obedient.
But this was only the beginning.
Whether that stellar power could truly be harnessed depended on the next step.
"Activate Generator Unit One."
"Yes!"
At the command, the operator immediately confirmed the sequence.
Under precise control, the reactor's energy flowed into the specially designed generator system. Within it, high-temperature ionized plasma blasted through narrow channels, slicing across magnetic field lines at extreme speed and converting raw fusion heat directly into continuous electrical output.
This technology—once unimaginable—was also part of the data Bai Yue had provided.
Before today, nearly all of humanity's power generation ultimately relied on one crude principle: boiling water.
"Generator Unit One connection stable. Output rising."
"Generator Unit One at full load. Power output has reached ten thousand megawatts."
"Good. Activate Generator Unit Two."
By now, the control room could no longer restrain its excitement.
"We succeeded!"
The words burst out like a dam breaking.
They had done it. The energy released by nuclear fusion was being converted smoothly, continuously, and safely into usable electricity.
Cheers erupted instantly. Researchers embraced one another, laughter and tears mixing together as applause thundered through the room. At this moment, victory belonged to everyone present.
History would remember them.
Only after the noise subsided did the project leader raise his hand.
"Everyone, please remain calm. The test is not finished yet. Output is still climbing. The maximum designed capacity of this demonstration plant is two hundred thousand megawatts. Reaching that level will not be easy."
An elderly engineer chuckled and replied, "We've only activated two generator units so far. Twenty thousand megawatts already. Once the system stabilizes, ramping up will be much faster—this is just cautious operation for the first ignition."
Nearby, technical staff explained the process to Bai Yue and the visiting officials.
"This is the first operational run, so we're increasing power gradually rather than going straight to full load. We expect to reach maximum output within an hour, then maintain it for three days for inspection. If no structural damage is detected, the Yelang Fusion Power Station will officially enter long-term operation."
"And fuel consumption?" someone asked.
"At full load, daily consumption is slightly over one hundred liters of specially processed deuterium. Even at peak market prices, that's under one hundred thousand yuan per day."
A collective gasp followed—then applause.
Fuel costs of less than one hundred thousand yuan were equivalent to the daily electricity output of an entire province. Even if real costs doubled or tripled, the price per kilowatt-hour was unimaginably low.
Everyone understood what this meant.
The light of controllable nuclear fusion had finally blossomed on the land of Yanhuang.
Energy shackles were shattered.
Once freed from energy constraints, nothing could stop the giant dragon from soaring.
As power output continued to climb, generator units were brought online one after another. Electricity surged outward through transmission lines, spreading across the grid.
That day, every employee of the power system remained on duty. Fortunately, as a major power-exporting province, the local grid handled the surge smoothly.
When the final stabilization threshold was passed, no one tried to restrain the celebration anymore.
Leaders on-site personally congratulated the staff, promised formal commendations, and expressed hope that more fusion power stations would soon rise across the nation.
As the provider of core technologies—and with his company deeply involved in nearly all major equipment—Bai Yue received sincere thanks from multiple levels of leadership.
With controllable nuclear fusion and Tiangong Group's high-capacity physical batteries, Yanhuang had completely severed its dependence on fossil fuels.
In the future, oil would exist only as an industrial raw material.
The wheel of history rolled forward once more.
While Bai Yue continued cultivating quietly, the world beyond grew increasingly turbulent. More than a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Military ghosting had been fully completed. The demonstration reactor ran flawlessly after inspection, operating stably for over a month. Meanwhile, additional fusion reactors were being assembled at astonishing speed.
With matters stabilizing, Bai Yue finally turned his attention back to the teleportation arrays.
After repeatedly reviewing the information obtained from the Special Affairs Department, he marked all domestic suspected locations on a map.
Kunlun Mountains. Changbai Mountain's Tianchi Lake. Shennongjia. Mount Tai. Hangu Pass. Several offshore islands.
Among them, the closest lay in Sichuan and Shu.
That became his first destination.
He traveled alone.
Driving across provincial borders, he reached western Sichuan in under a day. The region was harsh and remote, with average altitudes exceeding three thousand meters.
The next morning, he entered the mountains on foot.
Once his mental perception confirmed there was no one nearby, Bai Yue activated his movement technique. His figure flickered through forests and ravines like a phantom, covering dozens of kilometers in minutes.
At last, he reached the foot of a towering peak.
The moment he entered its domain, a profound and ancient aura brushed against his consciousness.
Dao marks.
Left behind by a figure of unimaginable power.
Above, thick clouds sealed the summit from sight.
Bai Yue smiled faintly.
"In a world where Heaven and Earth are so depleted… to still have a place like this. Truly extraordinary."
With a burst of speed, he ascended.
White mist surged ahead.
A formation.
Though harmless, it existed solely to confuse and mislead.
Stepping into it, Bai Yue relied on his mental power to cut through the illusion, advancing straight toward the peak.
Moments later, the summit emerged.
Thirty-three stone steps.
Ancient pines flanked both sides, twisted like coiling dragons, evergreen and resolute.
At last, he had arrived.